Acheron: Have Any of You Seen My Cat?

And judging by Grey Serpent's reaction, it seemed reluctant to tell her the real reason.

"Judging from the material and the flow of Honkai energy, they are two different God Keys. One of them is..."

"Sin Mallet Thunder of Seven."

Sin Mallet Thunder of Seven belonged to World Serpent, after all, so Grey Serpent was very familiar with it. Though its appearance had changed, data did not lie. As for the other one, even it could not quite make it out.

It had never seen it before, though it could roughly make a guess.

Grey Serpent's words plunged Raven into silence once more.

No wonder this weapon had always looked so familiar to her...

"Can I ask for it back?"

Raven asked weakly.

"What do you think?"

Grey Serpent's rhetorical question left Raven speechless.

"Then whose side do you want to stand on?"

Though she felt some sorrow for her former God Key, Raven knew that was not what truly mattered.

If Lord Kevin and Yomi were the same kind of people, then choosing a side...

Raven looked at the silent Grey Serpent, then finally sighed and turned to leave.

Judging by Grey Serpent's behavior, it had already made its choice quite clear.

Watching Raven's retreating back, Grey Serpent's scarlet mechanical eyes flickered.

It had obtained enough information. All that remained was to adapt to whatever came next.

"Origin Herrscher... Forgive me, my lord..."

Grey Serpent knew that if it sided with its lord this time, and its lord ultimately failed, the situation would become rather troublesome. But if it chose Yomi's side, then even if they lost in the future, there would still be room to salvage things.

If Yomi truly was the Origin Herrscher of this era, then the future situation would become impossible to predict.

Of course, there was still a long time before any true split and confrontation.

Its lord still had to emerge from the Sea of Quanta. Otherwise, the outcome would be beyond doubt.

But no matter what, Grey Serpent could finally set down some of its burdens. After all, some decisions truly were not ones it could interfere with.

However, Grey Serpent was puzzled by one thing.

Why did the Origin Herrscher of this era have blood ties to Raiden Mei?

Did Herrschers arrange political marriages now?

Raven glanced at the gray-black kitten guarding Yomi's door, the corner of her mouth twitching, then knocked on the door.

"Yomi, are you in there?"

Though Grey Serpent had openly stated that Sin Mallet Thunder of Seven had been given to Yomi, Raven had accompanied it for so long that she still could not bear to part with it. She had come over to take a look.

"Raven? You can come in."

When she pushed open the door, Raven saw the purple-black-haired girl changing clothes, as well as the smooth, fair skin of her bare back.

"No stigmata..."

From Raven's angle, she could see most of Yomi's skin, yet there was clearly no trace of a stigmata.

In other words, Raven had simply been crushed by Yomi's physical strength...

"Um... can I take a look at your two swords?"

Raven asked tentatively.

Though she knew Yomi's identity might not be simple, Raven did not know who she truly was, so there was no need to be overly restrained.

Besides, her relationship with Yomi was fairly good now.

"Mm, sure."

The purple-black-haired girl was sitting before the mirror, resting her chin on her hand as she looked at the flower woven from red, black, blue, and white.

"Thank you."

Raven looked toward the two swords Yomi had placed to the side, especially the one with the purple-black hilt.

Raven stared at it for a long time. In the end, she tentatively reached out to touch it and confirm her suspicion, but the next moment, a numbing sensation spread through her entire body.

Fortunately, her physical condition was strong enough for her to get away from the sword before she was completely paralyzed by the electricity.

"Why..."

An inexplicable sorrow welled up in Raven's heart.

If Sin Mallet Thunder of Seven had merely chosen a better wielder, Raven would not have thought much of it. But now, Sin Mallet Thunder of Seven had begun rejecting her touch.

She remembered how carefully she had cared for it in the past, almost putting it on an altar, while now it was simply being left there carelessly...

"What happened?"

Seeing Raven's dejected expression, Yomi put on her clothes and asked in confusion.

She felt that Raven's expressions had always been very varied, constantly changing.

Did she like being this way?

Time rewound to when Grey Serpent transmitted the data.

Elysium Everlasting

Mobius looked at the genetic data Grey Serpent had sent through Klein. As one of the planners behind the MANTIS project, she knew the genetic sequences of nearly every MANTIS.

With only one glance, she saw that half of the genes belonging to the girl named Yomi indeed came from a certain pink-haired young lady.

Except...

Mobius picked up the photograph and glanced at the Pink Elf beside her, who kept trying to lean closer and look this way and that. The corner of her mouth could not help twitching.

"This photograph... the Origin Herrscher of this era is her child?"

Though she did not know why the pink-haired girl's genes could still appear after fifty thousand years, that was no longer something Mobius could figure out at the moment.

Other than the pinkish-purple highlights in the purple-black-haired girl's hair and those translucent violet-pink eyes that gleamed like halos, where did she resemble the lively person in front of her at all?

"Well? Well? Mobius, is she? Is she?"

The moment Mobius paused, the pink-haired girl knew she had nearly finished her research.

"She should indeed be the Origin Herrscher of this era."

Though no one wanted to bring up this topic, they had no choice but to mention it now.

After comparing the information, Mobius confirmed her identity as a Herrscher.

Because the power within her was nearly identical to that of the pink-haired girl from back then.

"But she carries genes from both you and the Third Herrscher of this era..."

Upon hearing this, the pink-haired girl's eyes sparkled even more brightly. She poked her cheek with a slender finger.

"Hmm... let me guess. Is the Third Herrscher of this era an especially pretty, adorable girl?"

"More or less..."

Mobius felt that the pink-haired girl's focus might be somewhat different from theirs, but they had long since gotten used to it.

"Ah, then our child must be a super, super adorable girl, right? Just like me..."

Seeing the anticipation on the pink-haired girl's face, Mobius ultimately handed her the photograph.

"Unfortunately, your genes are recessive..."

"This child's appearance does not take after you."

Aponia: "..."

Yomi: Have You Seen My Cat?

England, London

"What exactly... have I forgotten?"

After washing up, the purple-black-haired girl changed into casual clothes. She hesitated in front of the mirror for a long time before finally styling her hair the way Xiao Kong had done for her before.

Placing the two swords before herself, Yomi gripped the black-red hilt. When she drew it just a little, countless fragments of memory flashed past.

"Yomi, are you done getting ready?"

Hearing Raven's voice, Yomi sheathed the sword again and let out a confused breath.

Those images had been far too numerous just now, so numerous that Yomi had barely been able to make out any of them.

However, Yomi remembered one blue figure among them.

That blue figure wore a very happy smile, but for some reason, Yomi could not see her eyes clearly.

"Mm."

Yomi nodded.

Though she had joined World Serpent to find someone, even World Serpent could not locate a person Yomi herself did not know.

If she wanted to find someone, she first had to remember them herself and obtain some clues.

"It really looks lovely..."

Just as she stood up, Yomi seemed to hear a soft, cheerful laugh by her ear.

The owner of that voice sounded mischievous and lively.

"Who...?"

Having just risen and moved away from the mirror, Yomi turned back in confusion.

"What is it?"

Raven looked at the Yomi who had suddenly turned around, somewhat puzzled.

"Nothing..."

Yomi shook her head uncertainly.

Perhaps she had misheard it, but that voice just now had sounded as if it were whispering directly against her ear.

Was it an auditory hallucination?

"How old are you this year?"

Raven glanced at Yomi, whose figure still stood tall and striking even in casual clothes.

If what Grey Serpent had said was correct, then Yomi might truly have quite a connection to Lord Kevin and the others.

"Eighteen... almost nineteen, I think..."

The moment her age was mentioned, the relevant information surfaced directly in Yomi's mind.

"You actually remember that..."

Raven did not think much of it.

"Eighteen... there's still room to grow..."

Raven's muttering left Yomi a little bewildered.

Wasn't she asking about my age?

"Cough, cough..."

Realizing she had misspoken, Raven hurriedly changed the subject.